The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly coupling expansion planars in information handling systems.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Some information handling systems such as, for example, servers, may be provided in a variety of configurations. For example, servers may be provided in a “base” configuration where the server is provided with only a main planar (e.g., a motherboard) that includes two processors and a first plurality of memory devices (as well as other server components known in the art.) However, those servers may also be provided in an “expanded” configuration by coupling an expansion planar, which includes additional processors and memory devices, to the main planar. However, there are many challenges to providing expansion planars in server chassis, including how to couple the expansion planar to the main planar and the server chassis while maintaining a robust retention mechanism that can withstand shock and vibration events that may occur during shipping and/or use of the server. In conventional systems, these challenges have resulted in the expansion planar being statically mounted to both the chassis and the main planar, which impedes access to the main planar and requires disassembly of the expansion planar from the main planar when access to the components that are located on the main planar (or that are otherwise blocked by the expansion planar) is desired. As such, conventional expansion planar systems are often provided in a manner that can negatively affect the user experience with the server.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved expansion planar coupling system.